


can you hear me call?

by MissSunFlower94



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Cel and Zolf have a shouted conversation on the airship pt. 2, Dialogue Heavy, Exclamation Mark Heavy, Gen, Shippy if you Squint, as always, post-172
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:46:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26775346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSunFlower94/pseuds/MissSunFlower94
Summary: '“I just wanted to- I just- I wanted to be sure you were- um, not asleep!”There is a brief pause. “Oh, right! Well, I’m… fine!”“Yeah- I- I got that!”'Flying into an aurora for the second time. Cel checks on Zolf. Zolf checks on Cel.
Relationships: Celiquillithon "Cel" Sidebottom & Zolf Smith
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	can you hear me call?

**Author's Note:**

> Sun, you say, how many fics can you write about Zolf & Cel on the airship? 
> 
> More. The answer is always MORE.

Cel watches everyone fall asleep, and tries to smile at each of them as they nod off. This is good. This is right. This is according to plan. Just because they’re going to be alone again doesn’t mean that this is a bad thing. Everything is going to be… fine. 

They drum their fingers on their knee - both legs drawn up to their chin, curled into the smallest ball in the corner of the room - and wait for the ship to come alive again, should that be what happens. Would it remember that it was alive before or would this be a brand new consciousness, the other one gone forever? Would this one be as kind to them, however strange that kindness had been? 

They’re shaking, they can feel themself shaking and they hate it. They’re not going to help anyone if they’re panicking. Not that they can help anyone right now, no matter what state they’re in. Cel presses their face down against their knees and tries to breathe, tries to center themself. Everyone’s asleep. This is good. This is part of the plan.

Is Zolf asleep?

Cel’s head snaps up again, looking at the sleeping bodies around them. They’d feel it if he was asleep, right? The ship would- the ship would start to list or- or- or something like that. They’d know. The ship hasn’t started to steer itself yet, or else they’d have some new, very strange friends down here… right? Those things would happen simultaneously. 

The ship isn’t alive, but the ship is on course, which means Zolf is awake. Yes. That’s logical. That makes sense. But still Cel can’t stop shaking. 

They hesitate, considering what to do. It’s a magical sleep, so yelling won’t disturb them - or else slapping Azu and Hamid would have worked the first time. If Zolf is concentrating on steering he might not want a distraction but they don’t need a conversation. They just need to know he’s okay. 

“Zolf?” Cel shouts, as loud as they can. 

There’s a horrible, horrible silence that makes Cel’s stomach lurch. Maybe- maybe they just need to be louder. That’s all. They open their mouth again.

“Cel?” Zolf calls, muffled through the wood but just loud enough to reach their ears. Cel covers their mouth to keep from crying in relief, nearly breaking down just from the sound of his voice. When they don’t say anything, he shouts again. “Cel, has something happened?”

That brings them back. “N-No! No. Everyone’s- Everyone’s asleep, but we knew that would happen!”

“Right!” 

“I just wanted to- I just- I wanted to be sure you were- um, not asleep!”

There is a brief pause. “Oh, right! Well, I’m… fine!”

“Yeah- I- I got that!” They shout, and wince a little. “I just mean-”

“No, no!” Zolf’s typical awkwardness comes across clear even with the distant quality of his voice. It’s absurdly comforting. “Yeah, no - that was a good- that’s a good thing to check! Cause, like, if I do fall asleep, we’re gonna- that’d be a problem!”

Cel actually snorts at that.  _ Oh, Zolf. _ “Just a bit!”

“Right. Uh, thank you!”

“You’re- you’re welcome!”

There’s another short silence. Cel is already feeling more like themself, though their heart is still pounding. That might not entirely be out of fear anymore. 

“H-how are you doing?” Zolf calls down. 

Cel blinks. “What?”

“I said, ‘how are you doing, down there’?” 

“Well, I- I’m awake!”

A beat. “Not what I meant!”

Cel knew that. Cel knows what he’s asking but doesn’t know how to answer. “I’m okay!” They yell, and it’s not really a lie. It’s mostly true. It’s partly true. There’s truth in there. They try again. “I’m okay as I can be!” 

“... I’m sorry!” Zolf calls and they wince again. This is the problem with truths, they think.

“D-don’t be! It’s- this is a lot for everyone! I- could be worse, you know!” 

This time Cel can fill the silence in their mind’s eye; can picture Zolf’s short, hard sigh and muttered ‘ _ Cel _ …’ before he drops the subject. They wish they could see him, but this will do. 

The silence stretches and they fidget. “Anything look strange up there yet?” 

“Uh,” Zolf says and then nothing else, which is just  _ so _ reassuring. “Yeah but- but not any stranger than the last time! You? Any- any new friends?”

“Oh- uh! Not yet!”

“Right!” He pauses. “Let me know if it happens!”

“Oh it- it shouldn’t be a problem!”

“No- yeah- I- I know. I just- just want to hear about it!” Cel can actually hear the way he clears his throat. “Or- or anything, I guess!” 

“Oh,” Cel says, far too quiet for him to hear. “Anything?” They say, their voice quivering a little more than anticipated.

“Sure! This- uh- this is keeping me- keeping me awake- you know?” Zolf says. “A-and it’s probably- I mean, is this- is this helping you, too?”

Cel laughs a little, somewhere between nervous and giddy. “Yeah!” They say, and it’s true. “Yeah, it is!”

“G-good! That’s- I’m glad!”

They glance around the cabin. Their heart still stutters a little seeing everyone asleep - but at least they no longer feel alone. 

“Well, um, nothing is alive down here yet! I mean, nothing from the- from the ship - like, the people down here are definitely alive! But nothing- nothing exciting yet.”

“Okay!” Zolf shouts, and pauses. “What’s the best animal you’ve ever been?”

Cel blinks. “Best?”

“Best! Your favorite- whatever!”

“Well I mean, that’s- that’s more complicated than you'd think. Honestly, everything’s had it’s pros and cons, you know, and I don’t think I could really pick a- could I give you a list?”

Cel can hear Zolf laughing up on deck and something in them settles a bit at the sound. “Please do!”

They allow themself a smile in this nerve-wracking situation, let their legs stretch out, and does just that. 


End file.
